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Junko Tamiya
Junko Tamiya ( ) is a former Capcom music composer best known for composing the music for the NES port of the original Bionic Commando and the arcade version of Strider. She's also known by the aliases Gon,Alph Lyla wa Lyla (May 21, 1989). Strider Hiryû -G.S.M. CAPCOM 2-''. CD. Pony Canyon, D25B-1001. Liner Notes, pg. 1-2.Capcom (December 1985, NES). ''Sweet Home (Japanese). Ending, Staff Roll Gonzou'Capcom (December 1990, NES). ''Little Nemo: The Dream Master (English). Ending, Staff Roll and '''Gondamin.Capcom (December 1988, NES). Bionic Commando (English). Ending, Staff Roll History Early life Junko Tamiya found out she enjoyed performing music ever since her childhood.Brandon, Alexander; Greening, Chris (May 19, 2014). "Junko Tamiya Interview: Creating Capcom's Incredible NES Scores". vgmonline.net. Translated by Mohammed Taher. Accessed May 26, 2016. She attended the Osaka College of Music, where she met and became friends with fellow composers Miki Higashino, Soyo Oka and Yosuke Inoue.Greening, Chris; Harris, Dave (March 28, 2011). "Soyo Oka Interview: The Comeback of Super Mario Kart’s Composer" (English). vgmonline.net. Translated by Ben Schweitzer and Shota Nakama. Accessed May 26, 2016 She first discovered the potential careers in video game music at this time, having learned of openings at Capcom's sound team from the university. Career at Capcom Tamiya joined Capcom around 1987, and became part of their in-house sound team "Alph Lyla". Her first works were single track contributions for the Arcade games Tiger Road and 1943: The Battle of Midway, after which she composed the soundtrack for the NES port of Gun.Smoke. At the time she was nicknamed "Tami-chan" ( ) by the other team members. During the 80s, in order to prevent their employees from being offered better jobs at other companies, Capcom required their development team members to use aliases in each game's credits. This has made difficult to track down all of Tamiya's work due to her diverse style. Like all Capcom composers in the 1980s, Tamiya used the audio engine designed by Yoshihiro Sakaguchi for all of her NES games. She would compose the songs on a keyboard using software on the MSX computer, and then convert the music to hex to work with Sakaguchi's engine. Tamiya relied on FM sound sources for the Strider arcade soundtrack and used PCM for the Bionic Commando NES music. During times of creative drought, Junko san would look to movies, books, paintings, and songs from other artists to boost her creativity. She would also discuss these with her Sound Team colleagues, the game designers and other developers at Capcom to gain inspiration. Around 1988 Tamiya was chosen as the main composer of the Arcade version in the three-way Strider project. Before starting work, she was given two instructions by the game's main planner Kouichi Yotsui: to compose the tracks with an emphasis on emotions and feelings and to study Igor Stravinski's "The Rite of Spring".Jones, Darran (24 Apr 2010). "The Making of... Strider". Retro Gamer (76). pp. 48-53. Creating the music turned out to be an arduous task as Isuke demanded a lot from the sound staff and rejected Tamiya's initial works because he wanted the music to be perfect. Eventually, however, Tamiya understood what Isuke wanted and made music he had no problems with. Once this framework was firmly in place, Tamiya started composing themes as she saw fit. She worked using an MSX computer with a keyboard for input, and relied on FM sound sources. Junko Tamiya also worked in the game's soundtrack release, Strider Hiryu -G.S.M. Capcom 2-'', making two original arrangements titled "Snow in Savanna" and "Moon of St. Petersburg". The first is a medley of arranged themes made together with fellow Alph Lyla members Harumi Fujita, Tamayo Kawamoto and Manami Matsumae, although Tamiya herself had a small part in its making. The second is a solo arrange of the first stage theme "Raid!" inspired by the moon as seen during the latter half of the stage and the sense of loneliness and silence displayed in that sequence. Later Years Following her work for the 1990 NES games ''Street Fighter 2010 and Little Nemo: The Dream Master, Tamiya left Capcom. She didn't return to video game composing afterwards, instead working primarily arranging music for live performances and stage music, as well as producing Japanese classical music and working on other stage productions. In 2014, Tamiya reunited with other former Capcom composers during the BitSummit convention and later joined them as composer in Brave Wave Production's "Project Light" album. Production History *''Tiger Road'' (Arcade Version) (1987) Uncredited *''Gun.Smoke'' (NES Version) (1988) -- Sound (as Swimmer Tamichan) *''1943 Kai (Arcade Version) (1988) Uncredited *Bionic Commando'' (NES Version) (1988) -- Music (as Gondamin) *''Strider'' (Arcade Version) (1989) Uncredited *''Strider Hiryu -G.S.M. Capcom 2-'' (CD) (1989) (as Gon) *''Dokaben 2'' (1989) *''Final Fight'' (Arcade Version) (1989) Uncredited *''Sweet Home'' (1989) -- Music (as Gon) *''Sweet Home'' (CD) (1989) (as Gon) *''Code Name: Viper'' (1990) No in-game credits *''Adventure Quiz 2: Hatena? no Daibouken'' (1990) -- Music (as J･Tamiya) *''Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight'' (1990) -- Music Director (as Tamie) *''Little Nemo: The Dream Master'' (1990) -- Music Composer (as Gonzou) *''Bionic Commando Rearmed'' (2008) -- The Original Bionic Commando NES Team (as Gondamin) Song Credits Tiger Road (Arcade Version)' *Place of Study -- Composition & Arrangement Gun.Smoke ''(NES Version) ' *Title -- Composition & Arrangement *Town of Hicksville (Stage 1 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Bandit Bill (Stage 1 Boss BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *The Boulders (Stage 2 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Cutter (Stage 2 Boss BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Comanche Village (Stage 3 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Devil Hawk (Stage 3 Boss BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Death Mountain (Stage 4 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Ninja (Stage 4 Boss BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Cheyenne River (Stage 5 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Fatman Joe (Stage 5 Boss BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Fort Wingate (Stage 6 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Wingate (Stage 6 Boss BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Shop -- Composition & Arrangement *Weapon Select -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage Clear -- Composition & Arrangement *Ending -- Composition & Arrangement *Game Over -- Composition & Arrangement ''1943 Kai'' (Arcade Version)' *Anti-Aircraft Campaign BGM A -- Composition & Arrangement 'Bionic Commando (NES Version)' *Prologue -- Composition & Arrangement *Start -- Composition & Arrangement *Map -- Composition & Arrangement *Area 1 BGM -- Arrangement *Boss Demo -- Composition & Arrangement *Boss -- Composition & Arrangement *Area Clear -- Composition & Arrangement *Area 5 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Area 8 BGM -- Arrangement *Area 9 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Area 12 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Area 13 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Enemy -- Composition & Arrangement *Final Boss -- Composition & Arrangement *Final Clear -- Composition & Arrangement *Ending -- Composition & Arrangement *Epilogue -- Composition & Arrangement *Game Over -- Composition & Arrangement 'Strider ''(Arcade Version)' *Credit -- Composition & Arrangement *Defense Line (1 Stage Demo) -- Composition & Arrangement *Rush! (1 Stage BGM 1) -- Composition & Arrangement *Coup (Middle Enemy) -- Composition & Arrangement *Mosque of the Cold Hearted (1 Stage BGM 2) -- Composition & Arrangement *Beasts (1 Stage BGM 3) -- Composition & Arrangement *Bullet Corridor (1 Stage BGM 4) -- Composition & Arrangement *Uroboros -The Iron Ruler- (Big Enemy) -- Composition & Arrangement *2 Stage Demo -- Composition & Arrangement *Siberian Tunnel (Big Enemy -Kong-) -- Composition & Arrangement *Driving Wheel (2 Stage BGM 1) -- Composition & Arrangement *Big Run (2 Stage BGM 2) -- Composition & Arrangement *Cloud Mass (2 Stage BGM 3) -- Composition & Arrangement *Fuujin (Big Enemy -Sky-) -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage Clear -- Composition & Arrangement *3 Stage Demo -- Composition & Arrangement *War Drum (Start 1) -- Composition & Arrangement *Encirclement (Start 2) -- Composition & Arrangement *Valleys and Rivers (3 Stage BGM 1) -- Composition & Arrangement *Roaring (3 Stage BGM 2) -- Composition & Arrangement *Demon King of Africa (Big Enemy) -- Composition & Arrangement *4 Stage Demo -- Composition & Arrangement *Short Spin (4 Stage BGM 1) -- Composition & Arrangement *Reverse G Minor (4 Stage BGM 2) -- Composition & Arrangement *Capture! (Big Enemy) -- Composition & Arrangement *5 Stage Demo -- Composition & Arrangement *Hiryu (5 Stage BGM 1) -- Composition & Arrangement *Theme of Counterattack (5 Stage BGM 2) -- Composition & Arrangement *Grandmaster Meio (Big Enemy) -- Composition & Arrangement *Final Clear -- Composition & Arrangement *After All...... (Ending) -- Composition & Arrangement *Ranking -- Composition & Arrangement *Game Over -- Composition & Arrangement *Continue -- Composition & Arrangement 'Strider Hiryu -G.S.M. Capcom 2- *Snow in Savanna -Strider Hiryu Arrange Version- -- Composition, Arrangement (w/Harumi Fujita, Tamayo Kawamoto & Manami Matsumae) *Moon Over St. Petersburg -Strider Hiryu Arrange Version- -- Composition & Arrangement Final Fight'' (Arcade Version)' *Round 2 Subway Park 1 -- Composition & Arrangement *Round 2 Subway Park 2/Round 6 -- Composition & Arrangement 'Sweet Home (CD)' *Shadow -- Composition & Arrangement *Wandering Visitor -- Composition *looking back on scenes ~Reminiscence~ -- Composition *N Lolandra -- Composition *Elegy -- Composition & Arrangement *Solitude -- Composition *Sadness -- Composition *The Time to Come -- Composition '''Code Name: Viper *Area 1,2 -- Composition & Arrangement Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight *Prologue -- Composition & Arrangement *Start -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage 1 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage Clear -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage 2 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage 3 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Enemy 1 -- Composition & Arrangement *Boss 1 -- Composition & Arrangement *Demo -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage 4 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Boss 2 -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage 5 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage 6 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Boss 3 -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage 7 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage 8 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Enemy 2 -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage 9 BGM -- Composition & Arrangement *Final Demo -- Composition & Arrangement *Ending -- Composition & Arrangement *Game Over -- Composition & Arrangement *Continue -- Composition & Arrangement Little Nemo: The Dream Master *Opening -- Composition & Arrangement *Main Theme -- Composition & Arrangement *Start -- Composition & Arrangement *Mushroom Forest (Stage 1 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Flower Garden (Stage 2 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *House of Toys (Stage 3 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Nemo (Demo 1) -- Composition & Arrangement *Night Sea (Stage 4 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Nemo's House (Stage 5 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Cloud Ruins (Stage 6 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Topsy-Turvy (Stage 7 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Camille (Demo 2) -- Composition & Arrangement *Nightmare Land (Stage 8 BGM) -- Composition & Arrangement *Boss -- Composition & Arrangement *Last Boss -- Composition & Arrangement *Stage Clear -- Composition & Arrangement *Ending -- Composition & Arrangement *Death -- Composition & Arrangement *Game Over -- Composition & Arrangement Gallery Junko_Tamiya_Photo.jpg|Junko Tamiya in the late nineteen-eighties. Junko_Tamiya_March_2014.jpg|Photo of Junko Tamiya at the 'BitSummit' indie games convention held in Kyoto, Japan during early March 2014. 842814826.jpg|Junko Tamiya at the 'Bitsummit' convention talking about music composition with other game composers. Junko_and_friends.jpg|Junko Tamiya, Ippo Yamada, Manami Matsumae, and Keiji Yamagishi at 'Bitsummit'. Junko_san.jpg|Junko Tamiya in a 2015 promotional photo from Brave Wave Productions. References External Links *Game Music Online interview: Creating Capcom’s Incredible NES Scores *''Strider'' wikia article Category:Composers Category:Former Capcom Staff Category:Real-life people Category:Female people